Neighbors react to officer-involved shooting in Midland

Kate Carlson, kcarlson@mdn.net

Updated
12:01 pm EDT, Monday, March 12, 2018

Crime Scene Investigators removed a bullet from a car on the morning of March 12 that was parked in the driveway on East Ashman Street related to an officer-involved shooting. (Kate Carlson/kcarlson@mdn.net)

Crime Scene Investigators removed a bullet from a car on the morning of March 12 that was parked in the driveway on East Ashman Street related to an officer-involved shooting. (Kate Carlson/kcarlson@mdn.net)

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Crime Scene Investigators removed a bullet from a car on the morning of March 12 that was parked in the driveway on East Ashman Street related to an officer-involved shooting. (Kate Carlson/kcarlson@mdn.net)

Crime Scene Investigators removed a bullet from a car on the morning of March 12 that was parked in the driveway on East Ashman Street related to an officer-involved shooting. (Kate Carlson/kcarlson@mdn.net)

Neighbors react to officer-involved shooting in Midland

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After hearing sirens, Kassie Bailey got out of bed at about 2 a.m. and saw a body on the sidewalk a few houses down and glass behind her husband's car in her driveway, she said.

Bailey alerted her husband and they called 911. An officer near their driveway on East Ashman Street immediately assured the Baileys they were not in any danger, she said.

"They made sure and let us know right away," Bailey said. "So basically it was all night of talking to Midland Police, state police, detectives and crime scene investigators who came this morning to retrieve the bullet out of his car."

When police arrived, two 16-year-old male suspects ran away. One suspect pointed a gun at an officer, who fired and struck the suspect, said Michigan State Police Special First Lt. Dave Kaiser. That suspect died, and the other was apprehended at the Midland Law Enforcement Center for questioning, Kaiser said.

Police blocked the section of East Ashman to investigate, but have since reopened the portion of the road.

"It was unnerving, but a lot of things like this don’t happen, we don’t have issues like this," Bailey said. "It’s a safe area so we’ve never had any problems like this at all and the police were so good about coming to us immediately and letting us know we weren’t in any danger and let us know the situation was under control."

Bailey said her family has lived in the area for about four years, and have never experienced any issues with cars being broken into. Despite being a hectic night, she said her family still feels safe.

Steve Eberbach just moved to the area over the summer with some of his family, and was surprised to hear news of a shooting so close to his home after being reassured it was a safe area.

"We had just gone to bed and heard a shot outside and soon thereafter, we heard several more," Eberbach said.

"It felt really creepy to me," Eberbach said. "Before we bought this house, the real estate people put out crime maps and thought this was a really nice neighborhood, so I thought that was really strange. I thought it was out of place for this neighborhood."

Officers assured them they were safe, and taped off the yard and told the residents it was a crime scene.

"This neighborhood has been friendly, but not social," Steve Eberbach said. "It has a reputation as a good neighborhood and the people we have met are wonderful."